Book Review: Things We Left Behind

Last week I read the third and final book in the Knockemout series by Lucy Score, Things We Left Behind. I absolutely loved the first two books, Things We Never Got Over and Things We Hide from the Light. Things We Left Behind is about Lucian and Sloane and the hints of their supposed hatred for each other in books 1 and 2 made me so excited to read about their story.

All we know from the previous two books is that Lucian and Sloane grew up in Knockemout with Knox and Nash. It’s also hinted that they did use to be friends, but something happened a long time ago and now they can’t stand each other. Things We Left Behind explains what happened that made these two neighbors who became best friends and the ones they trusted the most turn into “enemies”. This all comes on the heels of the death of Sloane’s father who was beloved by all, including Lucian. And the reveal that Sloane’s dad loved Lucian like a son. The thing that happened in the past is something that neither of them has been willing to talk about or get past in the past 20 years and as much as they supposedly hate each other they also can’t stay away from each other when they share mutual best friends and as much as they both hate to admit it, they truly still care about each other.

An ongoing threat that has been present in the books since the beginning is still looming large in this book and when Sloane appears to be in the crosshairs now, it makes her and Lucian really come to terms with what they mean to each other and their past.

I loved this book so much. I’m literally obsessed with it and Lucian and Sloane. I love all three books in the series, but I don’t know if I love this one more or Things We Never Got Over. I think I might love this one more only because of the history between Lucian and Sloane. But Knox and Naomi (and Waylay) will always have a place in my heart as well as Nash & Lina.

I’m so sad that this series is over. I love all the characters in this series. The epilogue was fantastic and really tied up the story, especially since it’s set in the future. It softened the blow of the series ending a little bit.

There are so many quotes I love from this book, but one of the ones I really love that I feel perfectly explains the complicated and deep feelings Lucian and Sloane have for each other is towards the end of the book when something happens to Sloane and Lucian tells Nash he is going to go see her. Nash tells him it’s not a good idea because they’re currently not getting along again:

“He didn’t understand. No one did. When things turned to ruins, Sloane and I were there for each other. Always. It was time we both remembered that. Because I wasn’t walking away. Not this time. Not ever again.”

I highly recommend this series!

Read this book if you like spicy small town romances with the friends to enemies to lovers and second chance romance tropes.